MENACE

Aliens and politics make for strange bedfellows in Keating’s 1950s-set SF thriller.

Secret Service Special Agent Dean Cold is tasked with protecting U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. Cold—a World War II veteran who studied philosophy and played quarterback at Harvard—is quick on his feet, which is certainly helpful during an assassination attempt in the Oval Office. (Though Cold saves Eisenhower, his partner is killed in the scuffle.) This was no ordinary attempt—upon close inspection, it is discovered that the two would-be assassins had devices connected to their spinal cords, which, when removed, self-destruct and turn into goo. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, one of these same devices is implanted in the body of 74-year-old Joseph Stalin; newly invigorated, he goes about ensuring that any of his possible successors are tortured and killed. The Americans learn about this through an operative. As Cold tells Eisenhower, whoever is behind the attempt is keen on “assassinating [Eisenhower], while seeking to perhaps control Chairman Stalin.” Ike sends Cold to investigate, and he assembles a team to do just that. Eisenhower warns him, “Dean, this could get weird.” It is certainly a weirdness that Cold is unprepared for, as it becomes clear that aliens are involved. The novel has an enticing premise and is packed with gunfights and conversational creatures—two aliens who speak with Cold admit to being impressed by the Declaration of Independence—a development that subverts what some might expect from a story about extraterrestrials. Some sections are lumbered with extraneous details and move slowly. For instance, Cold is a skilled piano player, which earned him the nickname “Keys.” However, when other musician characters mention playing together, as in, “I had mentioned to Keys here that perhaps we could play together,” it adds little to the story. Still, the novelty of the premise carries the day as readers will be eager to find out what else Cold might uncover.

A unique, action-filled blend of Cold War fears and incursions from alien worlds.